There are one-man teams, there are double-edged swords, there are Big Threes, and then there is Lithuania – a 12-man weapon arsenal.
And they proved it when the lights were brightest, shocking global favorite Team USA in the second round of the FIBA World Cup 2023, 110-104, on Sunday evening at the SM Mall of Asia Arena in Pasay City.
That victory lifted Lietuva to the top of Group J heading into the knockout quarterfinals and dealt USA its first loss in this World Cup.
Seven Lithuanian players breached the double-digit mark in scoring with Vaidas Kariniauskas leading the way with 15 points.
Mindaugas Kuzminskas had 14, Jonas Valanciunas made 12, while Ignas Brazdeikis, Tomas Dimsa, and Tadas Sedekerskis got 11 apiece.
Eimantas Bendzius rounded the list out with 10 points, while Rokas Jokubaitis and Donatas Motiejunas just missed double figures with nine points each.
“Our team character is playing together. We have 12 equal guys who can really play,” said Valanciunas on the team’s resilience when Team USA fought back multiple times.
“Anybody who steps on the court knows their role, playing good so that’s our identity, that’s our face, that’s what we got to stick,” he continued.
There was no secret on how Lithuania stunned the 2nd-ranked USA. Instead, Kazys Maksvytis and Co. prepared for the Americans the same way they prepare for any other opponent.
Devise a game plan in practice then execute it come game time. That preparation has so far led Lietuva to a 5-0 group phase record, beating Egypt, Mexico, Montenegro, Greece, and Team USA.
“We prepared like always. We had a good game plan, we were ready, we were focused, we were playing team basketball as we always do and you know, following that we got the W,” said the 11-year NBA veteran.
Lithuania played like crazy to the delight of their fans, who are very much alive and heard in every game they played at the Pasay venue.
Donning the country’s colors, bearing drums and anything to make noise, the Lietuva faithful was truly one of the loudest fans that have trooped to MOA so far.

”We wanted to give a good basketball celebration today and I thought we did that,” said Valanciunas.
“It’s history too. Not many teams won against US so we played hard, we battled, and we got the W.”
